Combined collection and delivery letter-box



(No Model.)

A. E. FINEGAN. V GOMBINED COLLECTION AND DELIVERY LETTER BOX.

No. 467,588. Patented Jan. 26, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMOS E. FINEGAN, OF MEYERSDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBIN ED COLLECTION AN D DELIVERY LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,588, dated January 26, 1892.

Application filed March 18, 1891- Serial No. 335,439. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AMOS E. FINEGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meyersdale, in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvementin letter-boxes; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts more fully described hereinafter, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a letter-box for public or private use which embodies the essential requisites of a receiving and distributing box, practically dust, water, and thief proof, and adapted to receive both letters and papers, and, further, to construct a box which will be simple and convenientin its arrangement, convenient for access, and cheaply manufactured. These objects are attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 isa Vertical section. Fig. 3 is a front elevation, and Fig.4 is a section of a modified form.

In the drawings, A represents a rectangular casing, having an opening in the side thereof closed by a suitable door .8, and an inclined bottom portion A. The back of the casing is detachable for attaching purposes, the up per end having two hooks or fingers a, which project'over suitable lugs on the top of the casing, thereby dovetailing or securing the top of the back in place. The lower portion of the back above the inclined portion is secured in place by screws passing through a bracket a on the sides of the casing. When the casing is to be attached to a wall or door, the back is first removed and by suitable bolts made fast thereto. It is then secured to the casing in the manner above set forth, thereby preventing any meddling or removal of the casing except through the interior thereof, access being had to the same through the opening. On the front of the casing is secured in any permanent manner a receiving compartment or boxing 0, having a straight upper surface andobliquely-disposed front and a double inclined bottom. This compartment is divided into three chambers D, E, and F, divided, respectively, by partitions D E, the former forming the base or bottom for a newspaper-chamber, which has a door D forming a cover for the same, which cover is hinged to one side, and when closed is locked in any suitable manner. The partition D has near itsupper end a slotd, through which letters are deposited and fall into the chamber E. The chamber E has a lid or door in its bottom portion, which is hinged to one side, and when closed is locked in any suitable manner and supports the contents of chamber E, the inclination of the partition E carrying the mail-matter to the bottom of the chamber.

The chamber F, having the inclined walls E and F, is constructed with side extensions f, which project through an opening in the front of the casing A and have suitable openings therein, through which bolts or screws may be placed to unite the compartment or boxing to the casing A. The upper end of the chamber F, as above intimated, is open and leads into the interior of the casing. The lower end is provided with a suitable hinged door f which, when mail is to be deposited in the casing A, is opened by the postman, who, by a quick movement, forces the letters or mail matter up through the chamber through the opening in the casing. The door on the bottom of the chamber F may, however, be omitted, its purpose being to exclude dust from the casing.

Below the opening in the front of the casing is an inclined deflector G, extending obliquely downward. This deflector extends entirely across the casing and guides the mail-matter down and also hinders the extraction of the same through the deliveringopening.

In addition to the extensions on the sides of chamber F, through which the securing devices are passed, I insert one or more screws or bolts through the front of the casing and the back of the compartment, as at H, thereby se curely uniting the compartment to the easing. On the top of the compartment is secured a signal I, which consists of a flat metal strip bent at right angles, the lower horizontal portion of which passes through a suitable loop 2', which loosely holds it in place and acts as a hinge. The upper or vertical portion of the signal is of greater length than the horizontal portion and is preferably constructed with a bright attractive front. The purpose of this signal is to inform the postman that mail-matter has been deposited, requiring collection on his part. This is done by elevating the longer arm until it assumes a vertical position and is supported by the short arm. \Vhen the postman has collected the mail, he pushes the long arm down until it rests on the top of the casing.

When the sender desires to deposit the mail in the box, he opens the door in the front of the box, forces the letters through the slot in the partition D into the chamber E, and places the newspapers or other matter in the compartment D. The cover is then closed and the signal thrown up. When the postman collects the mail, he opens the door in the bottom of chamber E and allows the letters to fall out, and, opening the door in the chamber D, takes the paper therefrom.

This chamber D is used for both distributing and collecting purposes, as it is apparent that the one chamber will answer both purposes for such articles as newspapers or packages.

' To extract the mail from the casing A it is only necessary to open the door on the side thereof, so that access may be gained to the interior.

On the front of the cover to the chamberD is placed a card-holder, in which a card may be placed when the occupant of the premises is out of town and desires mail forwarded. v In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification, in which case the compartment D has an inclined bottom, through which the letter-opening is placed at a point near the front.

It is to be understood that the several doors may be supplied with windows, so that the interior of the compartment may be inspected without opening the same. It will also be understood that the door in the casingA may be placed in any suitable position desired.

I I am aware that many minor changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device can be made without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

1. In a letter-box, the cofibinatiomwith the casin havin a distributin -o enin in its b D D D front, of a compartment secured to the front bers therein, a hinged cover for the upper chamber, the partition between the upper and central chamber having a letter-slot therein,

the lower chamber communicating at its upper end with the interior of the casing, a deflector below the distributing-opening in the casing, and a door in the casing, substantially as described.

3. In a letter-box, the combination, with a casing having an opening therein, of a box on the casing divided into a series of compartments arranged at an incline, the lowermost compartment communicating with the interior of the casing and the uppermost communicating with theintermediate compartment, substantially as described.

4:- In a letter-box,the combination, with the casing having a distributing-opening in its front, of a compartment secured to the front of the casing, formed with a series of inclined chambers, the lower chamber communicating at its upper end with the interior of the casing, the inclined partition between the upper and central chambers having a slot therein, a door for the upper chamber, and a signal secured on the top of the compartment, consisting of a flat metal strip bent at right angles, the lower horizontal portion of which passes through a suitable loop, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AMOS E. FINEGAN. Witnesses:

L. S. BACON, Rnnvn LEWIS. 

